Flying-machine.



c. M. RICHARDSON.

FL YING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, I915.

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C. IV]. RICHARDSON.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. 1915.

Patented May 23,1916.

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Elma/mm Jaw/aids 0m (LM. "RICHARDSON. FLYiNG MACHINE.

APPHCATION FILED JULY 30, 1915.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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I c. M. RICHAR DSON.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION- FILED JULY 30. l9i5. 1L 1% 5?E o Patented May 23,1916.

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Snow Wow C. M. RICHARDSON.

FLYING MACHINE. -APPLICATION FILED lULY30| I915.

Patented May 23,1916

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- CHARLES M. RICHARDSON, or BMTMIEII, CONNECTICUT.

rnvrne irncnrn'ntype, and particularly to a machine of novel construction which contemplating the provision of a machine term .a 'Spiroplane,

having a low center of gravity to secure inherent stability and a novel organization of lifting, propellin breaking andrevers ing, steering and sa ety devices, whereby a 4 flying machine of maximum stability and flying and lifting efiiciency is produced.

One object -of the invention is to provide I a machine of the character described embodying a novel construction of lifting propeller, having blades which-operate to con-' fine and compress the air to amaximum degree fora working thrust action, and which are adjustable to a working angle of incidence for a lifting action and to a neutral machine.

. Another object of the invention is to pro.--

v at) and sensitive manner.

angle to serve as an aeroplane or retarder in cointrolling the speed of descent of the vide a lifting propeller which may be controlled to'adapt the machine to make ascents and descents, to hover in the airover any'given point, to ascend or descend with greater or less speed, and to make a gliding descent when desired.

A further object of "the invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement of dr1v1ng and break ng or reversing be.

propellers, whereby the machine ma driven ahead and quickly stopped. or a quick descent or steering-action, or reversed or driven backward when occasion requires,

together with means for controlling the prov pellers for these various "purposes.

A still fu her ob'ect ofthe invention to, providea fil ing machine having a safety parachute wh ch may be thrown into and out of action at'will, and steering-means'by which. the machine may-be caused to ascend or'd nd at a desired angle andto be turne to the right or left in a convenient of at features of The invention consists construction, combination 'andarrangemcnt Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 30, 1915. Serial ltm dtflfifl.

the machine when at rest upon the It will, .ofcourse, be'understood t at the lPatented an ac, ioie.

of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is'a side elevation of a flying machine embodying my invention, showing the lifting and driving propellersas arranged for working action. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal-section on an enlarged scale through the central driving shaft and the gearing operated thereby, and showing in full and dotted lines the different positions of the control leversand the parts afl'ected thereby Within the boundary of the illustration.

Fig. 4: is a similar view through the upper portion of the drive shaft, the parachute and the connections between the drive shaft g and the blades of the lifting propeller. Fig.

5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. '3. Fi 6 is a-horizontal transverse section on t e line 6-6 of Fig. 4:-

Fig. 7 is; a horizontal transverse section on the line 7'7 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a 'hori- 'zontal transverse section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 fs a perspective view of one of the lifting propeller blades. Figs.

10 and 11 are longitudinal and transverse sections of the same. Fig. 12 is asection on the; line 1212 of Fig. 1. Fig. 13 is a section on the line 1313 of Fig. 1. Fig.

14: is a perspective view of one of the driving propellers. I

p ][n carrying my'invention into practice, I provide a mainframe 1 having head and tail extensions or Outriggers 2 and 3, and including depending legs 4 rovided with suitable wheels or rollers 5' or supporting oun machine may be provided with any suitable type or style of launching-and alighting mechanism, adapting it to make direct or launched from and to alight upon the surface of a body of water, whenever desired.

lnpractica'the parts of the framework are preferably made of strong metallic tubing and sheet material, but anysuitable material. may be employed; The main frame is pro" gliding ascents and descents, and to be vided with any'suitable number of decks or .platformaa lower deck or platformit being provided in the present instance to support the motive power plant and an upper plat form or deck 7 to carry the pilot and passengers.

Bearings 8 of the anti-friction ball or roller type are provided upon the main frame for a central, hollow vertical shaft 9 which is mounted for free rotation in-said by the machine itself is bearings, while held from longitudinal movement. This shaft carries a main driving gear 10 which meshes with and receives mo- Weight of the machine and its load is placed at a low point upon the main frame, whereadapted to normally maintain a substantially plumb position by gravity, thus preventing it from at any time sure, as shown in dotted lines.

or runner 16 is coupled by a cross bar 17 dition the speed i open by ,the

collapsing action of the being overturned in the air.

' The shaft 9 extends to a suitable elevation above the main frame and preferably carries at its upper end a folding parachute 14, of the umbrella type, including spreaders or braces 15 and a sliding sleeve or runner 16 whereby the parachute may be collapsed, as shown in full lines, or preliminarily opened for a spreading action, under air or pres- The sleeve movable in guide slots 18 in the shaft 9 with, the upper end of a connecting rod 20 disposed within the hollow shaft and connected at its lower end with a cross bar 2]. movable in guide slots 22 in the shaft and connected with a sliding collar 23 on the outside of the shaft, whereby the rod may be held in a depressed condition to hold the parachute against opening movement.

and elevated and released to partially open the parachute and adapt it to be spread pressure of the air to a supporting position. The parachute is employed in the event that, from any cause, the machine gets beyond the controlof-the operator and is about to fall, and provides a safety appliancewh'ereby under such conof descent ofthe machine will be arrested and a safe descent to the ground insuredfl A control lever 24 is pivotally mounted upon the machine and provided with a forked. portion carrying riction rollers 25 to engage a groove 26 inthe sleeve 23, whereby .said sleeve may be elevated to raise the rod20 for the preliminary parachute opening and releasing actions referred to, the lever and sleeve also serving as a means by which a closing or parachutemay be spread for action. at a point, between affected after it has been Securedtothe shaft 9 ing and sustaining -creased. Thepropeller blades are shafts being coupled to the the main frame and the parachute is a propeller supporting frame 27 carrying a liftan annular series of bla es 28. These blades .cooperateto form segments of an annular propeller which encircles the shaft. Each of these segmental propeller blades or sections consists of a longitudinal and transversely curved bodyor blade proper 29 merging at its leading .and trai portions into plane or fiat surfaces 30 and with depending side walls 31. The body 29 of the blade has a lower ,concaved reaction surface 32 and an upper convex rarefaction 1 surface 32, the underside of the body formmg a compression chamber 33. This chamber 33 constitutes the top vportion of a trough;shaped air passageformed by 'the body and the depending side walls 32, said trough-shape channel being adapted to gather and confine the air, which is held from lateral escape during compression against the reaction surface of the blade b the side walls, 31, S0 that the all will he compressed to a maximum degree and retained during its reaction or lifting impulse, whereby all of the available lifting force resulting from the expansion and reaction of the air is utilized.

' The blades of the lifting propeller are disposed for a working action at an upward and forward angle of incidencetto a determined degree, and as each blade revolves and gathers the air the gathered air is compressed by the surface 32 within the cham-- ber 29 and trough-shape passage and is deflected downwardly for reaction, the walls 31 being preferably longitudinally tapered so as to gradually increase in depth rearwardly, whereby the lifting body of compressed air will be confined to a large extent until it reaches the rear end of the troughshape channel, through which it finally discharges, by means of which the supporting eificiency of the propeller is materially ininclined as a whole to give the same lifting efi'ect as a spiral or worm, while obtaining a plurality of lifting actions simultaneously, by which the machme and its load may be lifted and supported at a comparativelylow speed of the propeller. I

The. propeller blades are fixed to the outer ends of shafts 34 journaled to rock in bearings 35 on the frame 27 and at their inner ends the shafts are provided with crank arms 36, the cranks ofthe several upper end of. a controlling rod 37 vertically ttiarable with in the hollow shaft 9, slots 33 being provided in said shaft to permit the coupling -connections between the rod and shaft to have vertical movement. By adjusting the rod 37 vertically in one direction the shafts may be rocked in onedirection to tilt the pro eller consisting of provided meam'i" blades to a desired working angle of incidence, which may vary from maximum to,

minimum to vary the lifting action of the propeller, while'by moving the rod in the opposite direction-the shafts will be. rocked in the reverse direction to tilt or adjust the propeller blades horizontally or back intoa common plane in which the surfaces of the journal blades are in line with each other. When the blades are so disposed the propeller is adapted to perform the function of a fixed or rotating sustaining plane as desired, which may be employed in gliding actions or as a retarder or supplementary parachute forcoiiperation with the the descent of the machine in case of danger. The rod 37 is connected at its lower end with a sleeve, 39 grooved'to receive friction rollers 40 on the forked end of a pivoted lever 41 adjustable by means of a screw 42 to move the rod upwardly and downwardly, as will be readily understood.

Arranged at the forward end of the frame are right and left driving propellers 43 and 43' and an intermediate bralnng or reversing propeller 44,-. each of said propellers comprlslng a series ofblades, similar to the ,hgl-ades of the lifting propeller, but mounted -..ata proper working angle upon a horizontal shaft, the propellers 43 and--43 being mounted upon the forward ends of forwardly diverging shafts 45 and "45" dis-. posed on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, while the-propeller.

, 44' is mounted upon a shaft 46 arranged on'a line coincident with the longitudinalcenter of the machine. The blades of the p'ro-j pellers 43 and 43" are arranged at such an gles as to give a backward and 1 lateral thrust, the lateral thrust being of a minimum degree, and the inclination of the blades of the respective propellers also such that each propeller tends to counteract the lateral thrust of the other,- thus pre- I venting ordiminishingany tendency of the hit machine to be deflected laterally from its intended path ofitravel. The blades of the propeller '44, which are preferably arranged on a line equidistant between and advance of t e propellers 43 and 43, are re .versed as toposition with regard to the l. Yposition of the blades of the propellers 43 -zontally steering the machine, I preferably provide a compound or combined vertical 120 and horizontal rudder, comprising a .vertical "plane and a horizontal plane 61, fixed and 43, and hence when the propeller 46 is the. machine, whereby said propeller 34. is

adapted to'beeinployed as a brake to bring M i the machine to a nick stop or to back. it'or it tiofns of service, whereby the complete con- 7 1 trol over the machine is obtained.

drive it rearward y under diiferent ..condi- The propeller shafts45, 45 and. '46 are journaled at. their forward ends inpivoted bearings-4T in a curved bearingbracket 48 action,

with guide pins or.studs 51 engaging guide slots .52 in said frame, the shaft 45 and 45' being respectively provided at their inner ends with beveledpinions or friction wheels 45 and 45 while the shaft 46 is provided at its inner end with a similar gear orfriction wheel 46. The gears 45 and 45 are adapted to engage the beveled under-'- surface 53 of a double beveled drive gear or. friction disk 54 fixed to the shaft 9, the, I

, upper beveled face 55 of which disk is parachute 14 when it is-necessary to arrest adapted for engagement with the gear or disk 46, the construction and relative arrangement of the bearings 49 being such as to hold the gears so spaced that when thebearings are at the limit of theirupward '5 movement the gears 45* and, 45 will engage the gear 54.while the gear 46" will'be out of engagement with said gear 54, and so that. when the bearingsare lowered to the fullest degree the .gear 46 will .engage the gear 54 while thegea'rs45t. ahd 45 will be out of engagement with thegear 54, it being thus evident that the drivin and reversing propellers may bealternate y thrown into and out of action,the reversing propeller being inactive when the driving propellers are in operation, and vice versa. The gears have also an intermediate position in which all of them are out of engagement with the gear 54, sothat; both, the driving andthe 1'00 reversing propeller may be thrown out of The earings '49 are adjustable in I the guide 50vby means of an; arm 55 engagin' one arm '56 of a pivoted leverh'i, the

ot er arm 58 of yvhich is connected with an adjusting sci'ew 59, whereby the lever may be operated to raise and lower the bearingsand the shafts j oufnaled therein and to lock the same in adjusted position. By the use of driving and reversing propellers, of the construction-described a better working action is obtained than is possible with propellets of ordinary construction, since the compressed air .is confined and a greater thrust action obtained, while. the walls or flanges: 1 of the propeller also tend to prevent slippage. For the purpose of vertically and hOIlwith relation to each, other, and connected by meansofeyes-62 to the upper andlower ends'of a rodor shaft 63 extending through a bearing block 64 provided with trunnions peller being swlmg vertically or laterally to steer the machine up or down or sidewise 1n either dlrectlon. The arms of a steermg fork 67 are connected with the upper and lower ends of the shaft 63 and said fork is movable through the medium of a lever or other suitable control device,68 whereby the rudder may be adjusted in an obvious manner.

While the propelling device of the machine may be employed for steering actions, and will be so employed under some j conditions, a rudder of the character described or its equivalent is preferably used for greater convenience in steering and controlllng the machlne and for ving complete control 1n the event of erangement of the propelling mechanism. 'In practice, I

the driving and reversing propellers may be arranged either at the bow or stern end of served of disposing the parts as may be found most desirable or serviceable in prac; tice.

In the operation of the machine, it will be understood that the parachute remains at all times in a collapsed condition until its use is absolutely required, and that in launching the machine the motors are set into .action to drive the shaft 9 and the.

blades of the lifting propeller. are adjusted to a maximum angle of incidence to give a maximum lifting effect. kept in operation until the machine is raised directly 'or at a desired climbing angle to the desired height, at which time the driving propellers are set into action to drive the machine ahead on its intended course, while the blades of. the lifting propeller are either adjusted to a neutral angle to form an aeroplane surface orto less than a maximum angle of incidence so that the'propeller will operate simply to give the required amount of sustaining action to support the machine in the air. The machine may be launched and landed like an ordinary gliding type of machine, or it may be landed directly in a vertical path-by throwing the driving propellers out of action, and reducing their speed and controlling the speed pf the lifting propeller to allow the machme to descend slowly to the ground. Whenever de-' trol over the machine under all conditions of service. If, through derangement .of the propellers or motor, the machine should beinto action and will cooperate with thelift- This propeller is,

ing propeller to support the machine sulficiently as it falls to bring it slowly and in an erect position to the ground.

' I claim 1 1. A flying machine including a frame structure, a vertical shaft, a lifting propeller carried by said shaft, a gear u on said shaft, horizontally extending prope ler shafts arranged above and below the horizontal plane of said gear, propellers upon said shafts, gears upon said shafts, and means for tilting the propeller shafts to throw the gears thereon into and out of engagement with the gear uponthe vertical shaft.

2. A flying machine including a frame structure, a vertical shaft, a lifting propeller carried by said sh aft,-a gear upon said shaft, horizontally extending propeller shafts arranged in horizontal planes above and below the lane of said gear, gears upon said horizontal propeller shafts, and

means for simultaneously tilting the pro-.

peller shafts in unison in one direction or the other, to throw the gear upon one of said shafts into engagement with and the gear upon the other of said shafts out of engagement with the gear upon the vertical shaft, or vice versa. I

3. A flying machine including a frame structure, a vertical shaft, a lifting propeller carried by said shaft, front and rear sets of brackets upon the frame structure, bearing sleeves pivotally engaging the front bracket and slidably and pivotally engaging the rear bracket, horizontal propeller shafts journaled in said sleeves and disposed at said shafts, and means for tilting the shafts to throw the gears thereon into and out of engagement shaft.

I 5.1K flying machine including a frame with the gear on the vertical shaft, means for 'dr1v1ng said propeller, a pair of longitudinally extending forwardly divergent propeller shafts, a longitudinally extending third propeller shaft, arranged above and on a line between the first-named propeller shafts, dri-vingpropellers upon the ends of the first-named propeller shafts,

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."structure, a vertical shaft on the framestructure, a-lifting propeller carried by said engagement with the upper beveled face of v the double gear and means for adjusting the three shafts simultaneously to throw the gears of the driving propeller shafts into and the gear of the braking propeller shaft 15 out of engagement With the double beveled gear on the drive shaft, and vice versa.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES M. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. HUBBARD, JULIA R. MORSE. 

